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Cross and flames

10 Charities that are helping persecuted Christians worldwide

Discover how you can support fellow believers in the toughest parts of the globe.

Matt Holderness Portrait Matt Holderness
5 min

There are more than 360 million persecuted Christians who suffer oppression and discrimination. That's 1 in every 7 believers worldwide. Some are victims of violence and abduction, while others risk losing their jobs and livelihood. A number of charities work on the frontline, offering medical care, education and daily essentials. Others work to abolish or revise unjust laws that are affecting the daily lives of Christians.

According to the latest World Watch List created by Open Doors there are thirteen countries where Christians face extreme persecution, and a further 37 where they face general persecution. Although there is no internationally agreed definition of persecution, there is a widely accepted recognition that it encompasses any hostility experienced as a result of a person's identification with Jesus Christ. 

This would include restrictions, pressure, discrimination, opposition, disinformation, injustice, intimidation, mistreatment, marginalisation, oppression, intolerance, infringement, violation, ostracism, hostilities, harassment, abuse, violence, ethnic cleansing and genocide. The report also assesses incidents of violence and acts affecting private, family, community, national and church life, and ranks each country based on the number and nature of reported incidents. [1] 

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World Watch List 2024:  Countries where Christians face persecution.

1

North Korea

11

India

21

Laos

31

Oman

41

DRC

2

Somalia

12

Syria

22

Cuba

32

Ethiopia

42

Indonesia

3

Libya

13

Saudi Arabia

23

Mauritania

33

Tunisia

43

Cameroon

4

Eritrea

14

Mali

24

Morocco

34

Colombia

44

Brunei

5

Yemen

15

Algeria

25

Uzbekistan

35

Vietnam

45

Comoros

6

Nigeria

16

Iraq

26

Bangladesh

36

Bhutan

46

Tajikistan

7

Pakistan

17

Myanmar

27

Niger

37

Mexico

47

Kazakhstan

8

Sudan

18

Maldives

28

CAR

38

Egypt

48

Jordan

9

Iran

19

China

29

Turkmenistan

39

Mozambique

49

Malaysia

10

Afghanistan

20

Burkino Faso

30

Nicaragua

40

Qatar

50

Turkey

How you can support persecuted Christians

If you're interested in finding out you can get involved with supporting the persecuted Church, we've compiled a list of 10 charities that provide practical help and hope to those affected. You can visit their partner pages and, with a Giving Account, start giving them financial support today. Because of our unique Instant Gift Aid feature your eligible gifts will immediately be boosted by 25%.

persecuted christians

Open Doors

Helps support persecuted Christians in over 60 countries and have been doing so for more than six decades. They supply Bibles, provide emergency relief and help persecuted believers stand strong for the long-term. In the UK and Ireland, Open Doors helps the church to pray, give and speak out for the Christians who risk their lives to follow Jesus.

Support Open Doors

 

Release International

Supports persecuted Christians in 30 countries around the world - prayerfully, pastorally and practically. They help raise the voice of persecuted Christians and give them the tools they need to live for Jesus. They also support pastors and Christian prisoners, and their families; supplying Christian literature and Bibles; and working for justice.

Support Release International

 

Barnabas Fund

Provides aid to Christian minorities who experience discrimination, injustice, violence or persecution because of their faith. They work in over 80 countries through churches and frontline Christian organisations.

Support Barnabas Fund

 

Christian Solidarity Worldwide

A non-profit human rights organisation specialising in freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). They work in 25 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. CSW is the only advocacy organisation with a sole focus on freedom of religion or belief that has United Nations accreditation.

Support Christian Solidarity Worldwide

 

Christian Freedom International

Aids, equips and advocates for oppressed and persecuted Christians. They provide spiritual and physical help for suffering Christians to live in the dignity of God’s love and rise above their circumstances. They offer ways for Christians to ease the burdens of persecuted Christians through prayer, action, and giving.

Find out more

 

Mission Network News

Aims to be the voice of missions, the persecuted Church, and Christians in hard-to-reach areas of the world. Mission Network News is part of Oneway Ministries.

Find out more

 

ChinaAid

For 20 years, ChinaAid has worked to expose human rights abuses and promote truth, justice and freedom by advocating for religious freedom and the rule of law in China.

Find out more

 

Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement

Centre for Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) is an interdenominational organisation working for Christians and religious minorities who are being persecuted because of their faith in Pakistan. They provide practical support and campaign for the abolishment or revision of unjust laws and policies that are ruining people’s lives. They are currently campaigning to end forced conversion.

Support CLAAS

claas campaign

Steadfast Global

A Scottish voice for persecuted Christians around the globe. They engage in practical assistance projects which help to restore dignity and hope to persecuted Christians without creating dependency.

Support Steadfast Global

 

The Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East (FRRME)

Mosaic Middle East is a Christian charity working across ethnic and religious divides bringing hope, help and healing in the Middle East. They focus on the needs of the millions of refugees and displaced people in Jordon and Iraq.

Support FRRME

 

Help persecuted Christians with a Stewardship Giving Account

You can support all of the above Stewardship registered charities with a Stewardship Giving Account. You can make a one off gift or a regular payment really easily, with the ability to adjust amounts and dates at the click of a button. 

A Stewardship Giving Account can also help you discover more charities working for causes you care about. It provides you with full visibility of how much you give and who you are supporting, and the flexibility to make changes to your giving at any time.

Find out how you could be increasing the impact of your gifts today.

 

[1] https://media.opendoorsuk.org/document/pdf/2024-Advocacy-Report.pdf

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Written by

Matt Holderness

Matt joined Stewardship in 2022 with over twenty years of marketing experience from roles at Kendal College and Capernwray Bible School. He has degrees in Business and Marketing, Theology, Management and most recently a Masters in Hermeneutics. 

Through raising awareness of Stewardship’s services, Matt helps people explore the impact their generosity can have on the church and Christian charities. He’s passionate about supporting Evangelism and Bible causes, and has a particular interest in charities that are helping people in Poverty and Debt in the UK.